How much is a finding a good tech worth to you?

We use the usual listings indeed, Craig’s list also network with parts houses and tool venders . We pay 35 an hour for an A tech pay for training ,ASE certificates, pay​.​healthcare 100% 3 weeks vacation. If they turn over 40 sold hours a week they are given a bonus almost forgot we work 5 days a week no weekends. 5 Fay’s is enough we all need time to have a life and do things besides working…

Tanner, I also make the rounds every week, I'm now hearing the next level of this issue. Since about the beginning of Dec. 2018, I now have been told by 4 shop owners that they have had enough and tired of trying to find a quality tech. All 4 of those shops are shops that the owner was approaching retirement age and no family members to carry on the business. They all would have liked to go

Hello Jim, Price is the #1 concern with 75% of people from my observations. Likely why you see that type of data from the survey. 75% associate cheap with trustworthy. I aim to find the 25% that want it fixed right and end up getting it "gulp" cheaper, because they don't have to pay for all the cheap tire kicker/time vampire customers that are wasteful with shop time and drive up costs.

What is a “quality“ technician?? When shops say they can’t find one. What is it in a tech that they are looking for? I think most techs start as g.s. Depending on your management, if your a good g.s they could want to keep you there. Then your forced to leave to move up. Well, the next step is c tech, right. Well this is not a bad transition. But is every shop managers expectation the same

A good tech today is worth 35 - 40 and hour plus benefits and 3 weeks holidays. The pool is getting less and less. Many trades and jobs for that matter are getting harder to find quality people. I know not what the answer is, but as technicians leave the pay will start to increase, but will the independent fall with technology and lack of skilled help? I think there will be less independent's

Hi Chad, Working those long hours will eventually take it's toll on you. When that happens, what will you have to show for it? It is important to negotiate getting retirement matching, insurance, vacation and so forth. Having an equatable arrangement is important. When I was in my 30's working as a tech, I made some good money. I was making near six figures. I had energy and my body could take

Hey Michael, thanks for responding. I guess I was venting a bit lol. The future is what worries me. It’s why I push hard to learn more. Im in my early 30s and can see that I’m physically slowing down. I see the younger guys able to keep going where I need to take a breather haha. So I must use my brain more. Side work is where I get to experiment. But with the hours it’s hard to get that side

Bosses like yours are a major part of the problems. Would rather have "fast" than "good". Rather you throw parts than spend the time to diagnose the problem correctly. Most likely doesn't want to charge properly for the diagnosis, and is more comfortable charging for the parts instead. This is why the industry has a bad rep for repairs that don't fix the issue. It all starts and ends with

I am not an owner. I am the top diagnostic technician in our large shop. I can not speak as to how much the other employees are paid. I will share with you though what it takes to keep me there. First a little about me. I have 30 years experience. I take EVERY training oppurtunity i can. I diagnose almost every car that needs it in our shop. Most days 15 plus cars. I think I have a decent

Robert, Appreciation. So true. I think you hit it on the button in your second to last paragraph. Easy to see your wise and work those hours because you enjoy it. And your environment allows you to enjoy it. We all need money, it’s why we all leave our house and go to work in the first place. But to keep a good tech and to allow your techs in general to be the best that they can be. The

Chad you are correct I love what I do. My mentor told me one time he never worked a day in his life. He did not consider it work if he enjoyed it.

"I work a lot of hours mostly night shift. Most days are 16 hours long". does this mean you are working 16 hour days or the shop is open 16 hours ?

Shops open 24 hours 4 days a week. I work 16 hours nights Monday, Tuesday,Wednesday. 2 pm to 6 am. 6 Hours on Thursday 12 noon to 6 pm 12 Hours on Friday 12 noon to midnight. . 7 Hours on Saturday 7 am till 2 pm.

I myself have seen area shops hire anybody they could whether they knew how to fix a car or not and a few even hired uncertified folks just to have a body in the shop. This approach is extremely dangerous and unrewarding. A shop must know ahead of time what they can truly offer a technician way before a interview occurs. Have honest discussions with your prospects on what you seek in them and

A good tech to me would be worth $31.50 hr straight time. Shop rate $105 CAD now and may make me $350 per day assuming work was there and sold (Easier said than done). I would prefer to grow my own to fit my culture than have a service do it for me. It is getting harder and harder to sell proper repairs. I have been cutting costs big time just to try and eek out enough to make a profit.

Great input so far guys, thank you!

This is from a slightly different perspective. CDPHE has a job opening for a diagnostic type technician right now. There are 6 of these positions statewide and do not come open very often. Here is the information posted: governmentjobs​.​com/careers/colora… Generally speaking, technicians that apply are very experienced but getting to the end of the flat rate environment. In the

Hi Tanner, Tim Spurlock has posted this whole article on LinkedIn: Here is a snippet: "The cost drag to an organization saddled with technician openings is significantly more than just investing in a solid program and executing that program. An Association of Equipment Dealers Foundation study (2017) by William and Mary determined that it costs a company $1,000 a day for every day a

Hi Jeff, thank you for posting that article. That is the exact point I was looking to make. Shops are getting to the point where they won't invest in help to hire, won't invest in training and also won't invest in their employees yet they will spend $16k on a scan tool that does half of what is needed that most of their techs can't use efficiently anyways. I really don't understand it, but I'm

Tanner, As you know I am in 30-40 shops a week most weeks. I am always asked two questions. One is what scan tool should I buy (We won't even get into that one). The other is do you know any good techs. When I inquire about pay, perks, etc. I always get " I pay my guys well". Well what's well I ask? The numbers these shop owners think is well is the same the local day laborer gets with no

Well put John...sounds like St. Louis..

Tanner, I am new here and this is more of a rant to your question. Unfortunately, has a business point of view its a cut throat business. Business owners are in the business of making money ,cutting labor cost and being more productive, also keep in mind that the south and northern states manage businesses differently for example labor laws and independent Contractors are different in each

Heard this in 1970, 1980, 1990 & 2000. Still waiting for it to come true. What’s different this time?

Hello William Thanks for taking the time to respond to my little rant, it looks like you seen it all in the last four decades working in the business. The Protocol has not change in the business but what has change in my opinion is Technology and it has change rapidly in the last decade. You need a higher knowledge of the vehicle systems then in the past, you need more tools than in the past

I can’t agree more with you John. The beating blown of other techs needs to stop at every level.

I know what works for one shop will not work for all shops, but I can share what has helped my shop. My inspiration for the solution to the problem of the all illusive "perfect fit tech / need for a good tech" was taken from the tv series House M.D.. For fans of the show you know that House was a professor at a medical college all the while being the lead diagnostic doctor at the hospital on

Well said Brian, I spoke to a couple shops in the Greenville SC area about doing exactly that. I am on the advisory board for Greenville Tech.

There you go! Right on.

This, is how an industry recruits: wartsila​.​com/careers/studen…

Jeff, I just recently looked at a help wanted ad here in Greenville SC for a hotel front desk clerk. It was probably the best written most energetic ad I had seen. I should have saved it for a reference.